Blood Pressure: Earlier, high blood pressure was considered to be a problem with increasing age, but now the problem of increasing BP is being seen in many people even at the age of 20 to 40 years. Being under stress for a long time, lack of physical activity, irregular eating habits, high salt food, increasing weight and not getting enough sleep can be the main reasons behind this. The special thing is that there are no obvious symptoms of high BP in the initial stages, hence many youth are not aware of it.
Rising blood pressure in youth is also a matter of concern because uncontrolled BP for a long time can affect the heart, kidneys, eyes and brain. It is not necessary that symptoms like headache, dizziness or restlessness appear in every patient. In such a situation, instead of identifying BP only on the basis of symptoms, it is important to get it checked from time to time.
Stress and changing lifestyle are major reasons
In today’s lifestyle, work pressure, constant use of screens, staying up late at night and not taking out time for exercise have become common. Chronic stress and poor sleep can affect many body processes and increase the risk of high blood pressure in some people.
Attention will have to be paid to food also
Eating fast food, packaged snacks, instant noodles, salty and outside food regularly can increase the amount of sodium in the body. Along with this, high calorie and less nutritious food can cause weight gain. Obesity is also one of the major risk factors for high blood pressure.
Youth should limit the amount of salt in their diet and give priority to fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other nutritious foods. It is also important to reduce your intake of highly processed and salty foods.
The habit of sitting is increasing the problem
The active time of youth has reduced due to office work, online meetings, mobile phones and entertainment. Sitting for long periods of time and not getting regular exercise can increase many health risks, including weight gain. Making adequate daily physical activity a part of your daily routine is beneficial for overall heart health, including BP.
Don’t ignore sleep
Using mobile phone till late night, irregular sleeping time and continuous less sleep can also be harmful for a healthy lifestyle. Youth should focus on maintaining a regular sleep schedule and reducing screen time before bed.
When should BP be checked?
High blood pressure often remains without any symptoms. Therefore, checking BP only in case of headache or dizziness is not the right way. People who have a family history of high BP, are overweight, have low physical activity or have an unbalanced diet should pay special attention to regular health checkups.
If BP is repeatedly higher than normal, a doctor should be consulted. It is not advisable to start or stop medication on your own based on one or two readings. The doctor may recommend re-checks, home BP monitoring or other tests as needed.
Necessary changes for the youth
To control blood pressure, it is important to improve lifestyle instead of relying only on medicine. Steps like a balanced diet, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, healthy weight, and abstaining from smoking can help maintain better heart health in the long run.
Increasing BP at a young age is a sign of the body which should not be ignored. Steps can be taken to control it with timely investigation and doctor’s advice.